Restoring the Public's Trust: Delivering on Public Policy Goals

Session 523

Abstract

Democratic societies can only flourish if their citizens are fully engaged. Citizen engagement hinges on people's trust and confidence in their governments and the institutions that administer public funds and implement policies. Across the world we see signs of this confidence waning - from corrosive cynicism and low turnout at the ballot box, to peaceful demonstrations and bloody riots in the streets. From a systems perspective, how far do these trends reflect the perception of poor execution of public policy - in areas such as financial regulation, education, health care, welfare, infrastructure, prevention of corruption - rather than ideological differences about priorities?

Salzburg Global Seminar and the newly established Volcker Alliance will jointly convene an international gathering of top practitioners and thinkers to address fundamental challenges for governance now and in the next quarter century. This program will combine in-depth presentations from experienced leaders, knowledge exchange between regions and practical case studies, and focus on search for clear implementation strategies adapted to the central policy issues of the future.

Questions to be examined include:

How does the quality of policy implementation affect public confidence in government at all levels?

What concrete steps can be taken to provide for effective policy implementation before final policies are set?

What are the organizational and operational implications of such improvements for government agencies?

What must governments do to identify and address the most significant barriers to effective policy implementation?

Session outcomes will prioritize the steps needed to tackle current barriers to and gaps in effective governance; identify the key leverage points for improving government success in the short and long-term; and define the role that the Volcker Alliance, in partnership with appropriate bodies around the world, can play in strengthening and integrating policymaking and implementation to revitalize public trust in government.